Dana White says we could see ‘the old Conor McGregor’ return to the cage against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
Dana White has no inside knowledge on Conor McGregor’s training camp for UFC 264 but, from what he’s seen of the Irishman since he touched down in Las Vegas earlier this week, the UFC president believes we could be treated to a performance from the McGregor of old on Saturday night.
White says McGregor is treating the trilogy ‘a lot more serious’ than the rematch which saw ‘The Notorious’ knocked out for the first time in his career at UFC 257.
“Conor looked damn good in that first round [against Poirier]. I don’t know how well he prepared for that fight,” White told The Mac Life ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster PPV (h/t MMA Fighting). “I don’t know what he did. I don’t know the difference between his training camp for that fight or this fight.
“I can tell you this — from what I can see, he’s taking this fight a lot more serious than he did the last fight. He’s basically shut down. He’s in his own little world doing his thing. He feels like the old Conor McGregor.”
White hinted that the winner of Saturday’s trilogy will go on to challenge newly-crowned champ Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title, but that nothing is set in stone.
“I think so,” White answered when asked if the winner of Poirier vs. McGregor 3 would fight for the title. “It’s not set in stone. Anything can happen after the fight who knows but yeah it makes sense.”
UFC 264, which features Poirier vs. McGregor as the main event, takes place Saturday, July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.